Team of the Week: Gallagher Premiership Round 11

01/28/2025 08:20 AM

The latest round of club rugby in the English top flight in the books, with the Gallagher Premiership now set for a hiatus whilst the 2025 Men’s Guinness Six Nations takes center stage. Bath end the block as the league leaders, with the blue, black and whites an impressive six points to the good of second placed Bristol Bears.

Gloucester and Leicester Tigers make up the play off places at this stage of the season, with just seven rounds remaining in the regular league campaign. Premiership Rugby will return on Saturday March 21st for the 12th round of action, with the 10 club sides kept busy during the Six Nations break with their own ambitions in the Premiership Rugby Cup.

With the 2025 Six Nations on our doorstep, the stars of the past weekend’s Premiership action could well be called into their international camps for Test match duties in the coming weeks. We’ve wrapped up the fixtures with our list of results below, along with our Team of the Week, for the eleventh round of the Gallagher Premiership.

RESULTS: 2024/25 PREMIERSHIP RUGBY ROUND 11

Harlequins 22 – 19 Northampton Saints / Gloucester 38 – 31 Leicester Tigers

Exeter Chiefs 31 – 22 Saracens / Sale Sharks 23 – 32 Bath / Bristol Bears 55 – 35 Newcastle Falcons

TEAM OF THE WEEK: PREMIERSHIP RUGBY ROUND 11

15. Santiago Carreras (Gloucester)

It was another stellar performance for Gloucester’s excelling Argentine Santi Carreras, with the Cherry and Whites up in the play off places amidst a barnstorming season. Ruck reporter Matt Priest was back down at Kingsholm for this one, and scored Carreras 9/10 in his Gloucester Player Ratings.

“He's a fan favourite at Kingsholm for a reason and games like today prove why. He got himself on the score sheet, was the catalyst for most of Gloucester's attacking play and even played on after a nasty collision at the restart in which he took a knee to the back. An almost perfect performance from the Argentine, the best player on the pitch tonight.”

14. Tobias Elliott (Saracens)

There is an honourable mention in store for Bristol’s Noah Heward, who crossed over for two tries in the win against Newcastle Falcons. However, we give the 14 spot to Saracens’ breakthrough star of the season, Tobias Elliott, who continues to push from strength to strength for the ‘Men in Black’. The wing scored a brace of his own for Sarries, and was a stand-out player for Mark McCall’s relatively inexperienced side that succumbed to an eventual defeat at Sandy Park.

13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears)

The South African sensation continues to get England fans excited, with the hopes that he becomes eligible to play for Steve Borthwick’s side, after he completes his residency in the Summer of 2026. Ruck’s Bristol Bears reporter Ben Thorne was in his usual seat at Ashton Gate, and awarded the midfielder 8/10 in his Bristol Bears player ratings.

“The South African centre was as magnificent as ever, offering himself as a ball carrier or link man throughout the game – filling in at fly half after Byrne was taken off.  His pass in the buildup to Bailey's try was out of this world.”

12. Will Rigg (Exeter Chiefs)

The highly rated centre has masses of potential, and looks like a real breakthrough a star of Rob Baxter’s side this season. Rigg arrived at Sandy Park from Championship club Coventry ahead of the 2024/25 Premiership campaign, and the 24-year-old is proving himself as a real hidden gem of the top flight.

Another strong performance for the Devonshire club this past weekend, as Rigg capped off an excellent effort on both sides of the ball with a try against Saracens. With Henry Slade away on England duties in the coming weeks, expect a significant Prem Cup run from Rigg with the Chiefs.

11. Cassius Cleaves (Harlequins)

Cassius Cleaves just got the nod for our Team of the Week, ahead of another Bristol Bears wing who will have to settle for an honourable mention. Cleaves edged out Fijian international Kalaveti Ravouvou to the eleven jersey this week, as both flying wings crossed over for a brace of tries in their respective matches.

Cleaves stood out for Quins in their win over Northampton Saints, as the former London Scottish man sealed a dramatic victory for his side in the famous quarters. With an abundance of exciting young wings populating the Premiership, Cleaves will have to bide his time for an England call-up, but flashes of brilliance like this past weekend will certainly help bolster his international chances.

10. Finn Russell (Bath)

Back pulling the strings in blue, black and white before he departs for Scotland duties, Finn Russell was at his orchestral best this past weekend. The fly half commanded his back-line with a resounding leadership, that reflects his newly appointed status as co-captain for Scotland, alongside Rory Darge.

With Sione Tuipulotu out of the picture for the Six Nations, Russell will have increased ownership upon his shoulders to deliver in a leadership role, just as he did this past weekend against Sale. Metronomic place kicking and classy distribution to his outside backs and bruising forwards, added all the ingredients to hand Sale their first home defeat of the season. Bath have set course to win the Premiership this season after last year’s final heartbreak, and Russell has steered the ship to the top of the table.

9. Kieran Marmion (Bristol Bears)

Keeping with the West County to complete our halfback partnership, Bristol’s Kieran Marmion had an excellent performance in the win over Newcastle Falcons. With Harry Randall away in Girona with the England camp, Ben Thorne was impressed to see how Marmion took his chance as Bristol’s number nine, with 9/10 awarded in his Bears’ player ratings.

“(Harry) Byrne's half back compatriot could be one of the most underrated players in the Premiership, putting in another fantastic performance this weekend.  Marmion gave the Bears a quick tempo of play putting them onto the front foot for large spells of the game, creating a number of tries including Ravouvou's first where he attacked the blindside to put the Fijian in behind the Falcons defence.  After 73 minutes of rugby, the scrum half still had the ability to make a long solo break to bag his try stepping Stevenson in the process.  Marmion is some player.”

1. Si McIntyre (Sale Sharks)

We head up to the North West for the loose-head option, with Ruck’s Sale Sharks reporter Charlie Elliott impressed by Si McIntyre’s shift against Bath. Elliott praised McIntyre in his Sale Sharks Player Ratings:

“Helped Premiership newcomer Tye Raymont through the game well and was solid in the scrum alongside his inexperienced partner. Alleviated all fears of a Bath domination after WillGriff John's injury and given the quality of the opposing front row deserves a lot of credit. Had some solid carries and looked for the ball in hand a lot.  Came off with 10 minutes to go to a standing ovation.”

2. Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears)

After being overlooked by Steve Borthwick for a place in the England squad for the 2025 Six Nations, it looks like a fire has been lit up under Gabriel Oghre for a future call-up. With Jamie George stripped of the captaincy, the future of England’s two jersey is less cemented than before, with Oghre pushing for a mid-tournament involvement should any injuries arise.

Ben Thorne added; “8/10, Oghre is one of the true workhorses in the Bristol team, frequently offering himself as a ball carrier.  He took his early driving maul try well and threw into the lineout accurately.”

3. Thomas du Toit (Bath)

Bath’s titanic South African was at his best in their away win over Sale, and was a pivotal player in the hard fought scrum battle. Running out on the tight-head this week, du Toit went toe-to-toe with Si McIntyre, in what was a colossal clash from the two positional pillars. Around the loose of the park, du Toit was at his ever present ball-carrying best, as the tight-head muscled his way over the Sale gain-line as a resident heavy hitter. With more than 10 carries under his belt amongst the swirling winds of Salford, Bath utilised du Toit as a solid short picking option, to grind out the hard yards in challenging conditions.

4. Cameron Henderson (Leicester Tigers)

There is plenty of excitement surrounding the Scottish lock, who put in a brilliant performance for Michael Cheika’s Leicester this past weekend. Despite coming away from Kingsholm on the losing side of the score-line, Ruck Reporter Harrison Clifford was impressed by the Tigers second row, as he handed him 8/10 in his Leicester Tigers Player Ratings.

“The most dominant member of the Tigers squad today when it came to the tackles. Seemingly everywhere, at all times. The lock put in a performance that Martin Johnson would be proud of. His shots on Gloucester were biblical, and his effort was a contrast threat to the home attacking side. A performance that Henderson should walk away being proud of.”

5. Hyron Andrews (Sale Sharks)

The 29-year-old lock has been a brilliant signing for Alex Sanderson, after the South African swapped the Hollywoodbets Sharks for the Sale variety mid way through the 2023/24 season. Charlie Elliott said the following in his Sale Player Ratings. “A lot of involvement in his spell which ended just into the second half. Sale looked much weaker from the lineout once he came off, which is testament to how well he played. Forced a couple of turnovers and had some strong hits on Bath players. Overall had a good game.”

6. Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs)

Like Gabriel Oghre, Ethan Roots is another England hopeful who narrowly missed the grade for a place in Steve Borthwick’s Six Nations squad. After achieving his Test debut in the opening match of the 2024 Six Nations away to Rome, Roots has been unable to maintain any momentum in the international environment.

An array of brilliantly brutal hits on his unfortunate Saracens opponents, opitimised his fight to return to the England camp in the foreseable future. Roots added a try to Exeter’s triumphant points tally, in what was a statement making match from the overlooked blindside.

7. Miles Reid (Bath)

England’s back row is arguably the strongest position of their squad, with Miles Reid’s omission from the Six Nations camp only exemplifying the depth. Reid elevated his game despite missing out on the England squad, with a barnstorming Player of the Match performance in Bath’s away win against Sale. The stats speak for themselves coming away from the Salford Community Stadium, as Reid racked up three turnovers, 17 carries (five breaking the gain-line).

Reid also finished the match atop the tackle charts with 19 hits to his name. Incredible stuff from the back row bruiser, who will in no doubt be a key figure for Bath’s Premiership Rugby Cup campaign in the absence of Sam Underhill.

8. Tom Lawday (Harlequins)

We promise that there is no anti-Bristol bias, as Villiame Mata just missed out on the eight jersey after a strong shift against the Falcons. It could well have been a coin-flip to decide this week’s number eight, yet we’ve backed Harlequins man Tom Lawday, who came to the Quins’ rescue ahead of schedule. Lawday was flung into the fray following an injury to James Chisholm, and the back row bagged an important try, that helped Harlequins to an eventual win over a resilient Northampton Saints.

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